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Rumors on College Football Playoff Expansion, Seedings, Timeline for Potential Changes
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:38 am
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:38 am
Bleacher Report
quote:
With the Jan. 23 deadline looming for the College Football Playoff management committee to finalize a format for the future, new details about the options being considered have come out.
Per The Athletic's Ralph D. Russo, the three primary options being discussed by the committee include keeping the current 12-team format, expand to 16 teams in 2026 or expand to 24 teams no sooner than 2027.
A key date in the negotiations appears to be Jan. 18, which Russo noted is when "a pivotal in-person gathering of CFP officials" will take place.
quote:
Expanding to 16 teams next season would maintain most elements of the 12-team format, while adding four at-large bids.
According to Russo, the 24-team format would take time to implement because it would eliminate conference championship games, thus requiring conferences to rework their television deals that include them in the contract.
quote:
Dellenger reported on Nov. 24 that the Big Ten presented its idea for a 24-team playoff format to the other power conference commissioners. The format would grant four automatic bids to each of the Power Four conferences, two to the highest-ranked non-Power Four conference champions and six at-large bids.
Per Russo, the SEC is not on board with the 24-team plan.
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Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:41 am to TideSaint
Increasing past 16 will just lead to a bunch of blowouts in the first round and a chance for key players to get injured.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:45 am to TideSaint
quote:
Per Russo, the SEC is not on board with the 24-team plan
So Sankey will get criticized no matter what position he takes on this
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:46 am to TideSaint
24 teams are far too many. And my gosh, giving TWO mid-majors an auto-bid??? Are they crazy?
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:47 am to Nasty_Canasta
quote:
So Sankey will get criticized no matter what position he takes on this
If Sankey caves and agrees to this his arse needs to be fired on the spot.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:47 am to UFMatt
quote:Agreed. And it will also require elimination of conference championship games, which would mean giving money back to the TV broadcasters.
Increasing past 16 will just lead to a bunch of blowouts in the first round and a chance for key players to get injured.
Frankly, I'm fine with leaving it at 12. If the ACC would have had different tie-breaker rules, there would only have been one mismatch, and, some years when there is a really strong G5 team, you might not even have that. Having two G5's was the problem.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:50 am to TideSaint
Need to drop it down to 8 and pick the 8 best teams using the BCS model and don’t include any poll that does a reason edition. No official polls until October.
Let those sissies over at the AP hype up whomever their network masters tell them to.
Let those sissies over at the AP hype up whomever their network masters tell them to.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:51 am to TideSaint
No more expansion please.
If anything, let's bring it down to 8 or less.
I'm willing to entertain any talks on relegation
If anything, let's bring it down to 8 or less.
I'm willing to entertain any talks on relegation
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:54 am to TideSaint
They need to GTFO with this non-power 4 automatic bid bullshite.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:55 am to twk
quote:
If the ACC would have had different tie-breaker rules, there would only have been one mismatch,
If the ACC actually had good coaches outside of a few, they could actually be a competent conference but they won’t get their shite together. That conference is to blame for the shitshow we have now.
It’s one thing if Syracuse, Boston College and Cal suck. Because those teams are not great historically. But when you have Va Tech, Florida State and Clemson all shitting the bed, there are major issues in the conference. If it weren’t for Miami having a good season, that’s a G5 league
Posted on 12/29/25 at 10:59 am to TideSaint
13) ND - good add
14) BYU - solid not elite team
15) Texas - good add
16) Vandy - good add
17) Utah - 10 wins no coach meh
18) USC - 9 wins meh
19) Arizona - meh
20) UM - meh no coach
21) UVA - meh
22) Houston - meh
23) GA Tech - meh
24) Iowa - 8 wins no
In effect a 24 team playoff would involve turning the pop tarts tier bowls into the new first round games to be played at home sites.
So LSU-Houston could’ve been a 1RD game that would feed into the current first round host games with many speculating the current 1st Rd byes would turn into the top 8 getting byes.
So it would’ve been (24) JMU @ (9) Bama to then play @ (8) OU.
And (19) Arizona @ (14) Vandy to play @ (3) UGA.
14) BYU - solid not elite team
15) Texas - good add
16) Vandy - good add
17) Utah - 10 wins no coach meh
18) USC - 9 wins meh
19) Arizona - meh
20) UM - meh no coach
21) UVA - meh
22) Houston - meh
23) GA Tech - meh
24) Iowa - 8 wins no
In effect a 24 team playoff would involve turning the pop tarts tier bowls into the new first round games to be played at home sites.
So LSU-Houston could’ve been a 1RD game that would feed into the current first round host games with many speculating the current 1st Rd byes would turn into the top 8 getting byes.
So it would’ve been (24) JMU @ (9) Bama to then play @ (8) OU.
And (19) Arizona @ (14) Vandy to play @ (3) UGA.
This post was edited on 12/29/25 at 11:01 am
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:04 am to TideSaint
Did they not Lear anything this year with Tulane and JMU? Really need the BCD back.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:10 am to TideSaint
I say they will go to 24 teams to help other conferences that would be left out in a 12 or 16 team playoff.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:13 am to TideSaint
I can't think of a season where there were 12 teams deserving of competing for a national championship much less 16
I hate where we are headed
4 was good, could justify 6 with byes to the 1st and 2nd seeds, but we are never going back, the money will be too much
I hate where we are headed
4 was good, could justify 6 with byes to the 1st and 2nd seeds, but we are never going back, the money will be too much
This post was edited on 12/29/25 at 11:17 am
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:15 am to Nasty_Canasta
quote:
So Sankey will get criticized no matter what position he takes on this
Yes, obviously. He gets paid for that. Goes with the job.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:29 am to TideSaint
The B1G and SEC both generate a lot of revenue from their conference championship games. And unlike the Playoff, they don't share that money with the other conferences and Notre Dame. Take into account that those two conferences hold most of the bargaining power, and I doubt we see expansion beyond 16 unless the SEC has a massive change of heart. More likely, we'll see that consolidate further once the B1G and SEC pick the bones of the ACC.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:37 am to TideSaint
Expanding beyond current number will lead to a bunch of blowouts unless more P5 teams get in instead of G5 teams, realistically their are about 4-5 teams with talent to win CFP title rest are just placeholder
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:40 am to TideSaint
The other conferences are trying to act like they are the same when they are not, both in revenue and in quality of play.
Good for the SEC the for telling them to F off. The BIG is only wanting this because they know their 4th place team most seasons wont make it and the ACC and Big 12 will never have worth 4th place teams.
Good for the SEC the for telling them to F off. The BIG is only wanting this because they know their 4th place team most seasons wont make it and the ACC and Big 12 will never have worth 4th place teams.
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:41 am to Nasty_Canasta
Why would 24 teams make sense? I am happy Sankey said no to 24 teams who is criticizing him?
Posted on 12/29/25 at 11:42 am to theballguy
If you are actually an Indiana fan you will be relegated quickly so I wouldnt jump on that idea too quickly
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